Review: Garrison Spruce Beer

Yay! Garrison Brewing's beer is back in Manitoba after a two year hiatus! Their newest beer in Manitoba is Spruce Beer, brewed in tribute to the troops that used to be stationed in Halifax that were quite fond of the spruce beers brewed there back in the 1700s. This is only the second spruce beer I've ever had: first being Half Pints' Spruce Tips beer from last year. The beer is brewed with spruce tips, fir tips, barley, water, molasses, hops and yeast.

Appearance: Pours rich dark brown with a ruby red hue. Minimal phone but there's a bit of a late creaminess

Aroma: Notes of Spruce, Molasses a bit of sugar. Very sweet caramelly brown ale. Heavy on the malt and a light amount of bitterness from the spruce/fir tips and hops.

Taste: This is fairly hoppy and bitter from the hops and spruce tips, some sweet Molasses notes, brown sugar and candy. Reminiscent in ways to a doppelbock: dark fruit, raisiny and caramelly.. very sweet! Light earthiness and notes of pine.

Overall Thoughts: A very sweet beer, malt forward and bit bitter from the spruce and hops used. A bit reminiscent of a doppelbock - with spruce tips. I like it! 7.5% ABV